1. Technical Field
This document relates to methods and materials involved in collecting and processing complex macromolecular mixtures (e.g., stool samples).
2. Background Information
Human stool is composed primarily of materials that are not digested or are not absorbed. Human stools are roughly 75 percent water and 25 percent solid matter (Kurasawa et al., J. Am. Coll. Nutr., 19(4):426-433 (2000)). The solid matter, which makes up the fecal dry weight, includes roughly 30-50 percent bacteria, 30-40 percent undigestible food constituents such as cellulose and extra fibers, and variable amounts of organic wastes including fats.
The soluble, aqueous phase of stool is a diagnostically relevant constituent of stool from which can be derived pathologically important biomarkers. Several biochemical assays exist for the determination of colon disease, including measurement of fecal occult blood for the detection of colorectal cancer (Walsh and Terdiman, JAMA, 289:1288-1296 (2003) and Peranio and Bruger, J. Lab. Clin. Med., 38(3):433-45 (1951)), an assay for the detection of protein loosing enteropathy (Jarnum and Peterson, Lancet, 25(1):417-21 (1961)), and assays designed to capture fecal DNA and determine its use in pathological diagnosis.